Wednesday, December 17, 2008

I was reading "the tale of 3 kings" by Gene Edwards (GREAT BOOK) and it motivated me to start reading 1 & 2 Samuel.

As I was reading this morning something in the study notes really hit me hard - in a very good way. Here is what it said:

Poor leadership is not the result of personality traits but of decaying spiritual character. What we do is often a direct result of our spiritual condition. We cannot ignore the importance of spiritual character in effective leadership.

When I think about the times that I get frustrated, easily offended, overly critical, sarcastic or just in a bad mood, I can honestly say those times happen more often when I am not spending time in prayer & reading my Bible. Every relationship I have, whether it is my spouse, kids, co-workers or friends, is directly effected by my spiritual health. If I am not growing, I am decaying. How I respond or react is a direct result of my spiritual health.

I would challenge you to see if this is true for you as well. If you are constantly in a bad mood or easily frustrated, look at how much time you spend with your creator.

My point: it seems so simple & obvious but we often neglect THE single most important thing in our lives - our personal relationship with Christ. If we are filling ourselves with the wisdom and knowledge from God’s word, we will look & sound a lot more like Him.

What is your spiritual condition? I am sure you can ask those closest to you if you want the brutal truth…

Friday, December 12, 2008

When you mess with most techy devices they usually have a "restore default settings" button. That is so you can get it back to the way it was if you mess it up to bad or don't like it once you've changed it.

I was talking to some people about how we communicate and it seems like we have a "default" reaction to news that we don't necessarily like. When you watch some comedy shows, the typical reaction is biting sarcasm, anger or getting defensive. That is funny to watch but not real fun to experience.

My usual default response used to be sarcasm or humor. I have since tried to respond calmly as opposed to reacting negatively. It is usually better to respond instead of react. The difference is a planned approach. When you respond, you think before you speak. When you react, your default actions kick in and it's usually negative.

Don't you hate trying to talk to people that you know they are just going to take what you are saying the wrong way. It is so stinkin' hard to have a conversation when you are so worried about how your words are going to be taken. Walking on eggshells is really difficult.

My wife and I have agreed to give each other the benefit of the doubt. I confess that we aren't always successful but we try. When you give people the benefit of the doubt, you don't have to get all defensive, sarcastic and attack. You simply hear what they are saying, make sure you understand it the way they intended and then respond calmly.

My point: if people fear telling you things, your default reaction stinks. It's something that you can totally control and you need to have enough self-discipline to think before you speak. If not, people are going to hate you and not want to be around you. If that is what you are going for, well then, keep reacting instead of responding.

No one likes to be yelled at. What if people talked to you the way you talk to them. Stop making excuses, grow up and change your default settings... respond instead of react.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The holiday challenge is on. So far the total weight gain for 11 participants is only 4 lbs... I will keep you posted.

I just read "A tale of three kings" by Gene Edwards again. It is an amazing book. If you have not read it you really should. It seems to hit you right where you need it. No matter how often you read it, different parts speak to you at whatever phase of life you are in.

I hate surprises so if you are getting me anything for Christmas, please tell me.

I am falling in love with my wife more and more as each day passes. I am not in trouble or anything. We have just learned to communicate better and that has been amazing.

I am learning to not let the little things bother me. My new motto is "it is what it is". I don't try to read to much into it and I choose to take it as it comes.

I have started journaling again and it is helping my walk with God. I find that putting my thoughts on paper helps me focus. If anyone ever reads my journal, they will think I am psycho and I will probably be locked up. Yes, I have probably written something about you!

One thing that is so heavy on my heart right now is that there really is a God and He really has a plan for my life. If that is true then each day is part of that plan and is intended to make me more like Christ. I can't just think the good things are from God and not the bad things. I need to keep this in mind each day and in every circumstance.

Thank you to those of you who participated in "1 thank you"... Special thanks to those who are thankful for me (big points for that).

My daughters are absolutely amazing. I am humbled to be part of their lives. I can't wait to see what God does in and through each one of them.

I am still counting my blessings from Thanksgiving.

Heroes is a great show. I can't wait for 24 to start.

My wife and I played "I am thankful for..." we took turns naming things we were thankful for and it made a 2 hour drive seem like nothing.

I am typing really fast.

My point: these are random thoughts that could all be blog posts of their own. I am to full of energy drinks to focus on only one topic...